HC DIRECTS PRINCIPAL SECY TO SUGGEST REMEDIAL STEPS

PRAYAGRAJ: Taking cognizance of the running of labour court and industrial tribunal from a house in Gorakhpur and that too in shifts, the Allahabad high court has directed, principal secretary, ministry of labour, UP, to submit a report on possible remedial steps within a week to improve the working conditions for the two judicial forums.

Justice JJ Munir passed the order on a petition filed by one Vashisth Rai whose case had been pending in the labour court of Gorakhpur for around 12 years.

“The almost non-existent infrastructure has to be immediately restored and suggestions in this regard must be reported to this court,” the bench directed the principal secretary of ministry of labour while fixing December 17 as the next date of hearing in the case.

Earlier, on December 7, the court had sought an explanation from the presiding officer, labour court, Gorakhpur, as to why adjudication in the matter had been pending for the last 12 years.

In compliance with the said order, the presiding officer of the labour court submitted his explanation/report. On this, the court observed, “The report reveals a very disturbing state of affairs about organisation/function/infrastructure for dispensation of justice.”

In the presiding officer’s report it was stated that nearly 1291 matters were under adjudication and that the labour court and the industrial tribunal together were functioning in a private house and they had a single courtroom and a single chamber to serve the presiding officers of both the forums.